A coordinated prayer “strike” among multiple prayer networks; about 100 intercessors praying together on a conference call (roughly 50 of them physically on the beaches of South Carolina); images of angels on lighthouses; arrow-shaped and huge pillar clouds in the sky that looked like angel armies; prayers for forgiveness and cleansing; powerful declarations that South Carolina might be part of God’s covenant with America; and a vision of a frying pan — such was last Saturday in South Carolina.

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How in the world did we go from being just a small, 10-member group one year ago, to what we are and do at this point?

It seems that God’s own desire is far greater than our human vision.

Last year at this time, our vision was simply to start a weekly prayer call and see where it went. Along the way, the Lord brought unity within our little group; enabled us to learn to flow together in prayer; and then added to the group over time. On any given week, the number of those on one of our prayer calls is usually fewer than 20. But over these past several months, the Lord has revealed Himself and disclosed how He sees South Carolina, in many ways. For our part, we have simply tried to pray what He has showed us to pray — whether through Scripture or by supernatural insights.

In March, we had our first on-site prayer, at the South Carolina Statehouse. Several things happened that we’ve shared previously, but there also came from that event some connections with other prayer networks within our state. We sought His leading on certain fronts: searching out any hidden sins that have obscured the clarity of the gospel; unity in the legislative process leading to specific prayers at several sites much older than the state itself; and the exposure of some specific spiritual problems.

Eventually, our obedience in that step led to unity and agreement among various prayer networks and to that beach prayer cited above, which was part of the IFA paint-the-borders initiative. All three of the prayer network leaders here would use the word “astounding” to describe what the Lord has been doing. And there is much excitement within many parts of Christ’s Body in networks beyond these three, and even a growing expectation of an awakening revival fire set to fall upon South Carolina.

You may be wondering where the “frying pan” fits in. Well, the day before the beach prayer, one of our intercessors was praying on a northern beach and saw a cast-iron frying pan that was all gunked up (gunked is a Southern term that means “really messed up”), representing the state of South Carolina.

The Lord took that pan and scrubbed it with salt (that would be all of us) to get it clean. He then rubbed it with oil (this is, of course, the Holy Spirit) and heated it up. (For those who don’t know, heat and oil are how a cast-iron pan gets seasoned; the heat opens the pores of the cast iron so that the oil can enter the pan’s surface.)

The last image was that of the pan coming out of the oven — with the Bread of Life in it.

We believe!  Do it, O Lord!

Mark Johnson is one of the IFA South Carolina state prayer leaders. Photo by Alex Diaz on Unsplash.